It has been over 50 years since I studied the Constitution of the United States! I mean I would read over certain parts-the ones I was interested in, but the entire document, not so much!
When the 'Biblical Citizenship' class was offered at our church, I jumped at the opportunity to study it again. I'm so glad I did! Not only did I forget a ton of important stuff, but I realized that the way I learned it was not necessarily the way it was written. More on that later.
If you are like me, and out of school longer than you care to admit, it is about time for a refresher course on the document that established, and continues to maintain this nation. It won't be boring, we are talking about the paperwork that allows you-and me, the freedom we enjoy. Small manageable, and memorable steps will keep it moving.
First, and foremost, the Framers of our Constitution had a 'Formula' for Lasting Freedom! THIS is the basic Foundation that every other declaration in the Constitution is built upon;
"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, and they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their powers from the consent of the governed."
This small paragraph says volumes. Let's break it down.
First, the framers recognized that it it obvious looking at people that we were ALL created equal by our Creator, God. Because we are all equal, we All have rights that cannot be removed from us, or alienated from us. One of the absolute rights we have, that cannot be taken from us, is life.
Think about that for a minute. We all have a right to life. Once we are conceived, NO entity neither government, doctor, murderer, or mom, has the right to take life from you. God gave you that life and God has your final day planned already.
Our inalienable right to freedom comes from God. The Framers recognized that our freedoms cannot be given to us by men, nor can they be taken from us. In this way they guaranteed that we the people' would always have the ability to live our lives breathing freely and not being stifled under the tyranny of a government out of control.
We also have a responsibility. This, I believe is the crux of our democracy. WE the people have a voice in our government. The Framers stated that the government would derive their powers only WHEN THE GOVERENED (US) GIVE IT TO THEM.
WE the people MUST take that responsibility seriously. WE the people MUST know our rights, and know what to do when our rights begin to be infringed upon.
The very first initiative we can take is to recognize the incredible freedoms that document gives us. Second is to be aware of what YOU stand for, research candidates and then VOTE for the candidates that you align with in your standards.
This United States of America has been THE most successful nation in the history of the world. Still, just like anything worth having, it requires maintenance. Your home, car, fitness, relationships all require a 'tune-up' on a regular basis. So does this government of "We the people".
I will revisit this topic with suggestions about what WE can do to help keep the USA on the continued Formula for Lasting Freedom. Feel free to contact me with your comments!
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